development, and stressed that the international community should promote effective
international cooperation for the realization of the right to development and the
elimination of obstacles to development,
Reaffirming that article 4 of the Declaration on the Right to Development
states that sustained action is required to promote more rapid development of
developing countries and, as a complement to the efforts of developing countries,
effective international cooperation is essential in providing these countries with
appropriate means and facilities to foster their comprehensive development,
Taking into account that article 2 of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights states that each State party to the Covenant undertakes to
take steps, individually and through international assistance and cooperation,
especially economic and technical, to the maximum of its available resources, with a
view to achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognized in the
Covenant by all appropriate means, including particularly the adoption of legislative
measures,
Persuaded that sustainable development can be promoted by peaceful
coexistence, friendly relations and cooperation among States with different social,
economic or political systems,
Reaffirming that the widening gap between the economically developed and
developing countries is unsustainable and that it impedes the realization of human
rights in the international community, and makes it all the more imperative for every
nation, according to its capacities, to make the maximum possible effort to close this
gap,
Expressing concern at the fact that the immense benefits resulting from the
process of globalization and economic interdependence have not reached all countries,
communities and individuals, and at the increasing marginalization from their benefits
of several countries, particularly the least developed and the African countries,
Expressing its deep concern at the number and scale of natural disasters,
diseases and agricultural pests and their increasing impact in recent years, which have
resulted in a massive loss of life and long-term negative social, economic and